


Alain and Keran

by PallasCat



Series: The Shadows of Vigil's Keep [1]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Post-DA2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-16
Updated: 2015-11-16
Packaged: 2018-05-01 22:42:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5223758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PallasCat/pseuds/PallasCat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Hawke left Kirkwall for Skyhold the rogue Templars leached out on the Kirkwall's mages forcing them to runaway through the Deep Roads to reach Amaranthine</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alain and Keran

They couldn't stay in Kirkwall,  not since the Champion fled the city herself. They heard echoes across the sea. Promises of a land where mages were tolerated if not accepted. And the Deep Roads between them.

Alain did not believed in such a heaven. But it was still better than Kirkwall's Hell. If the rogue Templars somehow behaved with the Champion's presence, they tried to leash out on the mages the second Hawke turned her back on the city.

The  Starkhaven  mage tripped on a rock and got caught at the last second by a strong armoured arm.

"Alain ! Are you alright ?" Asked  Keran , his voice heavy with worry. Alain got up on his feet swiftly and nodded. The ex-Templar joined with a very few mage-friendly warriors to lead the rest of the Circle through the Deep Roads. 

So far  Keran  was almost the only one to still speak to Alain, rumours of him being a blood mage made him a pariah. To everyone but the ex-Templar, still taking care of him and sleeping by his side when they were camping. Always asking for permission to do so. Knowing the mage could never rest peacefully if he didn't.

They had little choice on the destination and even less on the means to reach it. Thanks to Anders notes of the Deep Roads they had a way to get through and reach Amaranthine.

The Grey Wardens were always recruiting. If they couldn't get a shelter they could still join their ranks. It couldn't be worse than the Gallows, the Templars, and their grabby cold hands.

Just thinking about it sent a freezing shiver along Alain's spine and the mage couldn't help but gag helplessly holding back a sob. A hand patted his back softly and his eyes flew open in fear. Only to meet  Keran's  worried face.

"Alain, what's happening ?" he asked worryingly. Alain looked away, he couldn't stare at any Templar more than a few seconds, even  Keran  who always tried to protect him when he learnt what the other Templars did to him. He couldn't help but feel a visceral fear twisting his stomach and keeping him awake when he could hear the soft breathing of the blond man when they were camping in the caves.

"I swear we're almost here, Alain. You'll see the sun again soon. We'll find a way to keep the whole lot of you safe." whispered  Keran  reassuringly rubbing gently his back trying to make the  Starkhaven  mage feel better. 

He probably thought the lack of light was turning him crazy, like the other warriors accompanying the mages. But he couldn't understand that the mages were only mildly inconvenienced by the lack of Sun. Used to be locked up alone in tiny dark cages.

"Don't worry about me,  Keran . I just... I really don't want to go back in a Circle. Ever. I can't. I'd rather die." the mage breathed out softly pinching his palm silently. The only thing he had found to keep his cool when he was nervous.

"I'm sure it will be over soon. I promise we won't let you go back in a Circle. Any of you. If Amaranthine is not a solution we will just hide the lot of you, or you could pretend not being a mage, no one would know." tried  Keran  with a sheepish smile. 

Alain smiled back sadly,  Keran's  eyes were circled and dark, he was barely sleeping at night, four people died of the Blight since they got in the Deep Road s and every one else was scared to be the next one. Alain didn't care. He wouldn’t mind. He wanted to live but he had lost hope years ago, not so long after joining Kirkwall's Circle.  Keran  patted his back again and kept walking silently. They stayed side by side a few hours when they heard low growls running along the Deep Roads walls.

Keran  grabbed his sword and shield as Alain took his staff, imitated by the other mages and warriors it didn't take long for the hideous faces to rush toward them. It happened so fast, fire balls flying around, arrows crushing on the warriors' shields and distorted swords pushing away the other warriors and mages.

Alain was waving his staff frantically, trying to keep the beasts away, their dirty saliva dripping on his face, the mage didn't give a damn about spit anymore. Tirelessly fighting off the  Darkspawns , not thinking a single second about keeping a little magic for later, he wasn't fighting for his life. He didn't know what he was fighting for. Not his life at least.

The beasts numbers decreased quickly. When the last one fell Alain felt a bit disappointed. He looked around him to see if there was any wounded. There was two dead people plus a mag e. He heard muffled whispers and someone trying to shush a wounded warrior, covered in blood, one of the Circle's girls was on her knees holding the wounded one's head  and stroking his hair.

His very  very  blond hair.

Alain's jaw tensed and he jumped to see who it was. It was  Keran . breathing heavily, his chest plate open wide by a darkspawn's blow, revealing a bloody wound tearing down his flesh, he could even see his bones. He jumped back and threw up violently while the mage girl kept petting the ex-Templars head reciting the same things over and over again like a litany, her robes drenched in blood.

Alain threw up everything he had in his stomach, someone tried to speak to him but his ears were ringing, deafening him. He tried to look at  Keran  again, still trying to breath desperately, how could he even be alive ? Alain dragged himself to the  blond's  level and took his already cold hand in his shaking ones.

"K- Keran ... please... Y-you can't die here... please..." he begged shakily. The blond looked up to him, his lips moving slightly but no word crossed the young man's lips.

"You can't... You're not... the one... supposed to... give your life here... My life is... worth so little... compared to yours..." he sobbed helplessly, almost blinded by tears, his voice hoarsen by his stiffen throat.

Keran  moved his other hand to put it on Alain and smiled softly. His hands were so cold and weak, almost lifeless, it made Alain gag.

"It is my role...to protect you... and the other mages... this is... what a Templar... is supposed... to do..." Alain burst in tears and pushed softly his forehead on the other man's, crying helplessly. If only there was a healer with them. If only he was a healer. Maybe he could save him. Maybe he could have done something, he could still hear the difficult breathing, hoarse, slowing dangerously, filling him with dread anytime he could hear blood running up the warrior's throat.

A warm hand gripped his shoulder and tried to pull him back. He couldn’t speak but growled holding  Keran's  hands tighter. The hands pulled him stronger and he resisted but they got the best of him. He squealed pitifully as they ripped him away from the warrior's body.

He didn't know the hands that pulled him away, all shiny in silver and blue armour, a threatening griffon engraved on the stranger's chest plate. Alain tried to push them away as a dark elf kneeled next to  Keran . The elf's hands hovered the wound and a bright blue light escaped his fingertips, Alain calmed down, his eyes riveted to the elf's hands. The air was forming thick milky ropes falling from his fingers into the bloody flesh, knitting the pieces of meat back together.

Alain looked around him, he was surrounded by blue soldiers, the one holding him down was a tall human with a bow with straight dark hair and a small goatee, looking at him from above with a serious look, Alain just noticed he was talking to him.

"- derstand  ? You have to remain calm. The Warden-Commander is taking care of you friend." the rogue said slowly trying to get the mage's attention.

"W-Warden... you are Wardens ?" Alain stammered confused. The rogue nodded slowly, as if he was trying not to scare him with a quick move.

"Yes, we are. The Warden-Commander is a healer. He will take care of your friend. But I need you to remain calm. He is heavily wounded and needs some air." he explained all over again to make sure he understood what he was saying. 

Alain nodded quickly, turned to face the archer and grabbed his armour with shaky hands, he tried to speak but a weak whimper is all that escaped his throat.  The archer knelt and gently put his hands on his shoulders, looking at him  straight in the eyes with honesty and gentleness. 

"Breath, young man. If someone can save your friend now it's the Commander. He will make sure he's safe and we will bring you all to the Vigil's Keep for safety. You're from Kirkwall, right ? Amaranthine is taking refugees. You will be safe there." explained the archer, Alain couldn't stop crying and hid against the stranger's chest who rubbed his back gently, waiting for his pleas to end, murmuring reassuring words, waiting for the young mage to calm down.

"I healed your friend. He's unconscious for now, he needs to rest but he will be alright. We must move quickly, we're barely a day below the surface, there's still enough room in Vigil's Keep for the lot of you. You are free to stay as long as you need. The running is over. You did good." said the Warden-Commander gently behind him, Alain nodded against the archer's chest before he let him go.

He had left a strain of tears and drool on his armour. Alain winced but the archer made him understand it was nothing. Alain looked at  Keran , still lying motionlessly on the ground. A heavy Warden hauled him up on his back and they all started to walk back the Deep Roads. It was like all their exhaustion had disappeared as they walked side by side with the Wardens and then they reached the end of the Roads.

And the light.

For the first time in ages.

The light felt good on their skin.


End file.
